The Pride Parade: Loud and Proud
Catherine Raines PhD FRSA DUni
Experienced INED & Chair. Former INED & Chair of Audit & Risk Committee at British Army. Current INED & Chair of Audit Committees at State Bank of India (UK) Ltd. & First Bank of Nigeria Ltd., & Consumer Duty Champion
After a rather stressful end to last week it was a pleasure to join fellow civil servants in the London Pride March on Saturday. We had strong representation from UKTI and I am really grateful to those colleagues who found the time to organise our attendance.
This was my first time at a Pride March and I wasn’t sure what to expect. So, what were my impressions? Here are five thoughts for starters.
The first was what a joyous and celebratory occasion this was. After the terrible massacre in Orlando last month this could have been a sombre occasion. But this was a community that was not going to let itself lie low. It was a tonic to be surrounded by so many people having a great time and it felt like the right way to honour those who lost their lives.
The second was that it was loud, and I mean really loud. Whether you judge by the vibrant, ear-splitting noise or the astonishing variety of the clothing, it was hard not to pale by comparison, even when wearing a bright yellow shirt and a Hawaiian lei.
The third was the mainstream support for Pride. The civil service has a proud reputation as a diverse employer which is something I feel very strongly about. But there were many other familiar names supporting this event; accountancy firms, banks and construction firms were all represented as well as the whole spectrum of political parties - and quite right too. These employers all understand that by enabling people to be themselves at work they will be get the very best out of them.
My next impression was the creativity. People were letting rip and having fun. If we could funnel that amount of creativity and energy into our everyday work, who knows what the UK could achieve.
My final impression was that this was a fantastic celebration of our country – tolerant, inclusive, diverse, vibrant, multicultural, and a GREAT place to live. Whatever comes down the line, these are qualities that investors seek when they come to the UK, and these are qualities that we can sell overseas.
This parade wasn’t just about London Pride, it was the Best of British on show, and I was proud to be there.